Warriors: A New Light
by johtolaura
Summary: They're definitely not from any clan I recognize. Most likely rogues, left behind by their irresponsible mother." "Thank you." Nodded Honeystripe, sniffing the fur of the biggest kit. It smelt very strange, hoarding an sulphuric tang of burning smoke...
1. An Intro

**Summary: **A typical kind of Warriors story really. Has a plot of course, but I won't say much about that so as not to spoil it. All I ask is you read the first chapter and see if you like it :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Warrior series but I do own the plot and the characters of this story

**Important Note:** It is unlikely that this story will be updated quickly. I started to write it two years ago, which should give you an idea of how I sometimes give up on things. I am quite busy, but will try to update as often as I can. Of course, knowing you have readers always helps, so if you do enjoy it, please review and tell me so :) Thanks

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**Description of Land:**

_Harmony Lake:_ Lies next to Sunny Field. Is the meeting point for gatherings. Considered primarily FireClan territory, although this is highly disputed. It is usually understood that Clans who are in times of particular trouble may hunt here also

_Sunny Field:_ Main FireClan territory. Has borders with Harmony Lake, Moon Peak mountain and the forest. A warm, grassy field with tall blades and several rocks that hide FireClan camp. Main prey consists of moles, mice and rabbits

_The Forest:_ Center of Clan land. Home of Earth Clan, and shares borders with all other territories. Mainly belongs to Earth Clan, although parts of the edges are owned by Snow and Moon Clan. Main prey consists of birds and forest mammals

_Moon Peak Mountain:_ Main MoonClan territory. They live in a large cave situated near the base. Has less food, but is apparently 'closer to StarClan'. Has borders with the forest and Sunny Field

_Snow Peak Mountain:_ Main SnowClan territory. Has the least prey of all, but does have some large prey available which can be taken down in huge teams

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**Description of Clans:**

_Moon Clan: _Mystical and reclusive, this clan is very into prophecies and seem especially connected to StarClan. Rumoured to have 'special powers', the other clans try to stay on the good side of these elegant cats. Mostly females, although there are a few males

_Fire Clan: _Bold and strong, these loyal warriors are not afraid of wide open spaces and are very protective over their territory. Often fierce and with filthy tempers, Fire is not a clan to be crossed

_Earth Clan:_ Powerful fighters, Earth Clan owns one of the largest territories and are one of the oldest clans. They believe strongly in tradition, and because of this have never allowed a kittypet or rogue into their Clan

_Snow Clan: _This clan tend to have thick pelts to protect themselves from the cold of their land. They are the smallest clan and considered the weakest (others joke they have drawn the 'short straw' when picking land) but are skilled hunters and have hidden strength. They tread lightly and may be considered the 'dark horse' of clans

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**New Laws to the Warrior Code:**

Inter Clan relationships are allowed, as long as the kits stay with their mother's Clan, and it doesn't get in the way of Clan loyalty (It is still preferred to keep relationships within Clans though, and EarthClan tend to be particularly unfriendly to this rule)

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**List of Cats:** {A New version of this will be posted every 5 chapters. This is the version at the start of the book}

**FireClan:**

_Leader:_ Bravestar-Large fluffy male. Light brown with dark brown stripes and a tan/white stomach. Has dark green eyes.

_Deputy:_ Clawtail-Ginger tom with a white mouth and pale green eyes. Often scowls and has a strong build {Mentor to Crowpaw}

_Medicine Cat:_ Spottedfoot-A tortoiseshell calico with a large black splodge on one paw. Quite cheery

_Warriors/Queens (Marked with a *):_

Honeystripe-Pale cream female with darker 'honey' stripes. Has amber eyes and a sweet disposition. Quite skinny and considered very pretty

Raggedtail-Brown tabby tom with thin fur and hazel eyes

* Silverwind-Light grey female with dark grey stripes and large ears. Has blue eyes which are neither pale nor dark

Skystream-White and grey tabby. Very beautiful with clear blue eyes {Mentor to Ravenpaw}

Rushwind-A solid grey female with a single white paw and white tail tip. Is very quick on her feet, hence her name

Brightwhisker-Very pale ginger tom with barely visible stripes. Is skinny and light on his feet {Mentor to Ivorypaw}

* Crispfeather-A white female who is slightly fluffy and quite small

Tallwind-A large silver tom with white paws and belly. Is especially tall but a fast runner

Mudtail-A light brown tom with a dark brown tail and paws {Mentor to Dreampaw}

_Apprentices:_

Ravenpaw-Tortoiseshell female, black and brown. More outgoing than her brother (Crowpaw) feisty and fun-seeking

Crowpaw-Tortoiseshell male, black and brown. Can be grumpy at times, prefers to laze about

Dreampaw-White fluffy female with blue eyes. Idolizes Crowpaw {Crispfeather}

Ivorypaw-White fluffy male with green eyes. Admires Crowpaw and Ravenpaw {Crispfeather}

_Kits:_

Umberkit-A medium grey, quieter than her sister {Silverwind}

Heatherkit-The palest kit, a happy female. Quite bouncy and good-natured {Silverwind}

Leadkit-Quite a chubby tom. A darker grey than his siblings {Silverwind}

**EarthClan:**

_Leader:_ Leafstar-Dark brown female with matted fur and a torn ear. Quite skinny

_Deputy:_ Badgerstrike-Black and white striped male with huge paws and a fierce temper

_Medicine Cat: _Mapleleaf-Fluffy brown female with intelligent amber eyes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Specklefern-Pale brown female with strong claws. Blends easily into surroundings and has spotted dark brown fur {Mentor to Ivypaw}

Bristletail-Fluffy brown and white tom with a thick, matted tail {Mentor to Copperpaw}

Fernfoot-Sandy coloured female with white feet and stomach

Springhawk-Large, quick male. Black with white face {Mentor to Poppypaw}

Foxtail-Reddish brown female with a white-tipped tail. Very sneaky

_Apprentices:_

Ivypaw-Brown tabby female with dark green eyes and white front paws

Copperpaw-Moody dark ginger male

Poppypaw-Small black female with a calm sense about her

_Kits:_

_-_

**SnowClan:**

_Leader:_ Frost star-Beautiful fluffy female with amber eyes

_Deputy: _Iceclaw-Dark grey male

_Medicine Cat: _Palefur-Small female with white fur and pale stripes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Mousenose-Stripey grey tom with a quite small, pink nose

_Apprentices:_

Brightpaw-Confident ginger male with a white muzzle

**MoonClan:**

_Leader:_ Moonstar-Gentle-looking blue pointed siamese. Mystical air

_Deputy:_ Setstripe-A ginger female with various shades of orange in her coat and dark brown eyes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Lightface-Cream coloured female with white muzzle and paws

_Apprentices:_

Nodepaw-Black male with a white-tipped tail. Is quite quiet, but very smart. Brother of Starpaw

Starpaw-Black female with an eager temper and a white marking in the rough shape of a star (very rough) Sister of Nodepaw

Mousepaw-Silver tabby tom with tiny white paws. Quite shy but tries to be fierce


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The harsh wind blew, thick with snowflakes, chilling the earth and blinding anyone unfortunate enough to be outside. The ginger tom struggled to walk through the layer of snow that had coated the ground, cursing StarClan for sending bad weather at a time like this. It was the middle of Leaf-Bare and FireClan were starving. They needed every last scrap of food there was, but they would find no prey in snowstorms like this.

Behind him a brown tabby tom with a thin pelt shivered, accompanied by a pale cream she-cat. They lagged about two tail-lengths behind, obviously growing tired.

"Clawtail!" The brown tabby cried, finally speaking out, "We'll have to turn back! This is MoonClan's territory now."

"That hasn't stopped us before!" Grumbled the ginger cat, but he stopped and waited for the others to catch up.

"The weather is too bad now anyway," The she-cat suggested softly, "We won't find any prey. It would make more sense to go back."

"I suppose you are right Honeystripe," sighed Clawtail, swishing his tail agitatedly from side to side, "We shall have to tell Bravestar the hunting trip was unsuccessful." The cats turned around and began to go back, trying to follow their rapidly disappearing paw prints.  
Suddenly Honeystripe stopped, her ears pricked and alert.

"What is it?" The brown tabby asked, noticing her sudden pause. She shook her head, silencing him, straining her ears forward.

"I thought...," She suddenly leaped into action, springing across the snow and disappearing from view. Startled, the brown tabby bounded after her, keen to know where she was going. She stopped when she reached a thick bush covered with snow, right on the edge of Warrior Forest. Silencing the male with a flick of her tail, she crept forward, her ears pricked forward and her tail swooped down low. She squeezed through a small gap in the bush, closely followed by the tom, "Look Raggedtail!" She called out in alarm.

Nestled on a pile of moss lay two kittens, sheltered from the snow by the branches of leaves intertwined above their heads. Their fur was a mixture of brown and black (black being the dominant colour) and their amber eyes blinked nervously up at Honeystripe.

"Whose are they?" asked Raggedtail

"I don't know," replied Honeystripe, giving the kittens an affectionate nuzzle, "But Clawtail needs to know about this." Raggedtail nodded before leaping back to fetch the Deputy.

Clawtail did not look pleased when he saw them.

"Where have you been?" He snapped, fur bristling. Raggedtail answered nervously

"Um, we found some kits Clawtail. I think you should come and see." Clawtail followed him, frowning.

"Kits?" He stared in disbelief at the furry bundles who were now cuddled up to Honeystripe, purring, "How..." He shook his head firmly, "No. Leaf-bare has been bad enough as it is this season. We can't afford any more mouths to feed." Honeystripe glanced up at him in shock.

"But Clawtail-they're just kits! You can't leave them here...they'll die in the first quarter-moon!" She wailed, snuggling them against her protectively, "And what about the warrior code?"

"She's right," Murmured Raggedtail, "It does say in the code that no warrior can neglect kits in need."

"The warrior code can be broken in times of need if necessary!" Snapped Clawtail, swishing his tail agitatedly. Then his tone softened and he addressed Honeystripe, "I know you've lost kits before," He began, "But these aren't going to replace them, and the Clan is going through some hard times. We can't afford to save them," Honeystripe didn't reply, avoiding Clawtail's gaze and licking the kits defiantly, "Come on," Continued Clawtail, addressing Raggedtail, "She'll come when she's ready and-" To his surprise Raggedtail hissed fiercely and sat firmly down beside Honeystripe.

"I'm not coming," He blinked, "I can't leave these kits to starve." Clawtail glared furiously, loosing his temper.

"Fine then, stay and starve! If you'd rather look after these kits than defend your own Clan so be it! Bravestar would be ashamed if he could see you now!"

"I think I'd better be the judge of that," Came a voice. The cats turned their heads and saw a cat emerge smoothly from the bush behind them. He was on the largish side and his thick, fluffy pelt was mainly dark brown in colour, although several patches of amber and tan could be seen around his underbelly and legs. His jade eyes looking disapprovingly at Clawtail, "I'm surprised at your outburst Clawtail. Any warrior, especially a deputy should be able to control their temper," He turned to face the other cats, "Now tell me-what is this all about?" The cats shifted their feet and tails uncomfortably. Finally it was Honeystripe who spoke, dipping her head respectfully as she did so.

"You see Bravestar," She began, moving her paws so the leader could see the kits, "We found these kits in this bush. I don't know where they came from or why they're here, but one thing I do know is that they need help to survive. They're about 3 moons old I think, and-" Bravestar signaled her to stop, swishing his tail.

"3 moons? Not old enough to survive on their own of course. So what's the problem?" Clawtail stepped forward, he too dipping his head before he spoke.

"With all due respect, the Clan is struggling as it is. We barely have enough food-can we really cope with two more mouths to feed?" He paused, glancing at the kits and Honeystripe before continuing, "I believe we should leave them here and let StarClan deal with their fate." He stood still, clearly uncomfortable. Bravestar sat expressionless for a moment or two, deep in thought.

"You make a valid point Clawtail. However, the warrior code is very clear about this point. I pride myself at the way FireClan obeys the code and we shall not break it today. Honeystripe," He turned to the cream-coloured cat, "Do you know of a queen who can take care of these kits?"

"I believe Silverwind will be willing to do so," Honeystripe replied eagerly, "And I could always look after them in between hunting and patrol work. After all, they are old enough not to need constant care."

"Then it is settled," Bravestar nodded, "Raggedtail, you stay behind and help Honeystripe escort the kits. Clawtail, you come back to the clan with me and explain the situation." Clawtail nodded and bounded out after the leader, determined to prove to him he was just as loyal a warrior as any other cat.

Once they were well out of earshot, Bravestar spoke, a grave look on his face.

" You are right about the lack of food Clawtail. We shall take care of the kits only until New-leaf. Then they are on their own," Clawtail closed his eyes in silent agreement. Bravestar continued, showing he understood Clawtail with a flick of his ear, "You took it hard when Honeystripe lost her kits. Am I right in assuming you were their father?" He nodded, still keeping his eyes closed.

"I loved those kits. When they died..." He shook his head fiercely and his eyes snapped open, " But these kits aren't the same. I understand that Honeystripe is still mourning but she can't pretend these kits are ours."

"I don't think she will. But either way we must obey the Warrior code." Bravestar dismissed the subject firmly, and didn't say another word about the topic throughout the journey.

Back at the clearing Honeystripe was nursing the kits, lovingly licking them with her tongue. The kits snuggled up to her, eager to have some kind of shelter and warmth. Raggedtail sat near by, growing more nervous as the sky steadily darkened above them. Finally he spoke up

"Honeystripe, we should go. We'll be needed back at camp." She nodded, getting to her feet without a word. The kits mewed as she left, but were silenced by a quick nudge with her nose.

"You can take the female," She handed him the largest of the two kits, "The male needs more attention so I'll carry him." She turned and strutted determinedly out of the bush. Raggedtail followed, gently carrying the struggling kit.

"You kits are very lucky," He muttered under his breath, "May StarClan protect you."

**BACK AT CAMP**

Honeystripe sat next to the kits, refusing to budge and licking them furiously. Bravestar leaped onto the top of the pile of rocks that lay on the edge of Sunny Field.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Cliff Stones for a Clan Meeting!" He called out clearly. Several of the cats crawled out of their nests in the large hole that they called their home and gathered round, "While Honeystripe, Raggedtail and Clawtail were out on hunting duty they discovered some lost kits. Now I, on behalf of FireClan, have agreed to shelter these kits," A murmur of agreement and discussion went around the Clan, "They do not appear to smell of any Clan, and since we have no way to tell what their names were, we shall have a naming ceremony now," He turned to Honeystripe, "Bring the kits forward," She obeyed, gently dropping each one onto their feet. They gazed up at Bravestar in fear and wonderment, their amber eyes shining, "Spirits of StarClan, you know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the kits you see before you, for it no longer stands for what they are. By my authority as Clan Leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give these kits new names," He turned to the larger female, "From this moment on she will be known as Ravenkit. And-" He then faced the smaller male kit, who was shaking by this time, "From this moment on he will be known as Crowkit. May you welcome their new names and help guide them into their new Clan." The cats gave a small cheer and Honeystripe stepped forward to the kittens once more. She turned to a silvery grey she-cat with startlingly bright green eyes.

"Silverwind, I believe your kits are also around 3 Moons? Would you be willing to look after these kits as well?" The female nodded, gently picking up the male in her mouth.

"I'll gladly take care of these two if it will help the Clan. I'll have Spottedfoot give them a check over to make sure that neither is injured," She carried the kit down into the pit and through the tunnel to the medicine cat's nest, closely followed by Honeystripe and the second kit. The red, white and black tortoiseshell tom was hard at work, mixing some kind of herbs together. Silverwind mewed to announce their arrival, dipping her head respectfully and dropping the kit, "Honeystripe found these kits out in the snow. They appear to be fine but we thought you'd better have a look just in case," She blinked at the confusing bundle of herbs, "That is, if you're not too busy." The tortoiseshell shook his head impatiently.

"No, no, it's okay. I was just experimenting with a possible new cure for Greencough. Catnip is getting harder and harder to find these days," He nodded towards a small bed of moss in one corner, "You can put the kits there. I'll examine them once I've cleaned up a bit. Can't be too careful of infection," He meowed cheerfully. Silverwind placed the male down, but Honeystripe paused. Sensing her reluctance, Spottedfoot continued, "It's okay, you can leave them. I'll drop them off in the Nursery once I'm done."

"Come on, they'll be fine." Silverwind gently nudged her and Honeystripe nodded, carefully dropping the kit. Throwing one last glance at them, she turned and slowly trudged out of the den, her whiskers twitching worriedly as she went.

A little while later Spottedfoot trotted into the Nursery, carrying the two kits firmly in his mouth. The snowstorm had cleared away from the camp area, and the sun could be seen shining clearly above it. The kits were a lot livelier now, wriggling and squirming, the female swatting playfully at her brother. Honeystripe gladly took them off him, placing them carefully in Silverwind's nest, alongside her other 3 kits.

"I've checked them out carefully and they seem to be okay," Meowed Spottedfoot, "The male has a nasty chill, but he seems strong and I daresay he'll be fine. The snow seems to have covered most of their scent but I can make out a faint trace of it."

"And?" Honeystripe queried, her stomach beginning to ache nervously.

"They're definitely not from any clan I recognize. Most likely rogues, left behind by their irresponsible mother," He watched for a moment, observing the way both females were fussing them, "I'd best be off. Feel free to ask me if you have any more questions."

"Thank you Spottedfoot." Nodded Honeystripe, dipping her head politely as the tortoiseshell disappeared from view. She gazed softly at the kits with loving eyes, before crouching down and sniffing the fur of the biggest one. It smelt very strange, hoarding an almost sulphuric tang of burning and smoke. Pulling her head back in confusion, Honeystripe shook her head clear and smiled once again at the kits. They looked so beautiful, so innocent and-

"Sorry to disturb you again," Spottedfoot re-entered, interrupting Honeystripe's daydreams, "I meant to ask-what are these young kits to be called?"

"They've already had their naming ceremony I'm afraid," Replied Silverwind, "The female is Ravenkit and the male is Crowkit." Spottedfoot smiled at the kittens, before suddenly frowning.

"What is it?" Panicked Honeystripe, lines of worry creasing her face.

"Nothing," Muttered Spottedfoot, "It's just..." He trailed off, a dreamy look spread across his face, "Excuse me, I need to talk to Bravestar." Without saying another word Spottedfoot sped out of the Nursery and up to the ledge where Bravestar was sat, talking to Clawtail. He pulled the leader over to one side and began to explain in hushed, but excited tones.

"It's just like StarClan said!" He whispered urgently, "These kits...they have to stay." Bravestar frowned, before bowing his head and graciously nodding.

"Thank you Spottedfoot. I know you take your predictions very seriously and, if you wish, these kits will stay," He glanced up at the sky nervously, "But let's hope that whatever StarClan has planned, they will help us."

**Note:** The next chapter is already written, so I'll upload it in around two days. Hope you enjoyed it-my spell check certainly didn't XD


	3. Chapter 2

**Comments: **Big thanks to all who reviewed. Really, you make me happy :)

**Chapter Two **

Deep in the heart of the forest, a dark brown female was struggling desperately, the harsh wind blowing. Two kits lay unmoving by her side and a third was shortly on its way. Around her, the bushes rustled threateningly and she panted harder, with fear and pain. As the last kit slipped out, she sprang to her feet and picked up two of the kits in her mouth. Throwing the third onto her back, she began to run determinedly, fear overpowering her. Clouded by panic, she tripped on a twig and fell, causing the largest kit to be thrown off her back. Quickly she scooped it up, not having time to check the damage. She reached the clearing with a sigh of relief and gently dropped her kits down. She hid them in a nearby bush and gazed up at the large mountain in front of her. Nuzzling each kit gently, a sudden crunching of leaves behind her alerted her to her enemies. Quickly she turned, racing as far away from the bush as possible. As she neared the heart of the forest she tripped once more, this time over a large log. Feeling her foot twist in pain, she glanced around wildly. She could hear them. She knew it. _They_ were coming...

**3 MOONS LATER**

Ravenkit bounded out of the Nursery, leaping up the edges of the hole and jumping out onto the rocky ground that surrounded the edge of the hole. Her brother Crowkit followed her, less enthusiastic and skillful than his sister. He managed to scramble out, getting stuck halfway and causing a murmur of amused laughs to come from the group of elders, sunning themselves on the ground. It was a beautiful day, perfect Green-Leaf weather despite it being mid New-Leaf, and the elders seemed intent on making the most of it. As, unfortunately, was Ravenkit.

"Come on!" She smiled, grinning excitedly, "We need to keep on practicing. It'll be any day now that we become apprentices, and we want to be prepared don't we?" Crowkit muttered something unintelligible before sitting up straight and trying to look more interested. If he was truly honest, being an apprentice didn't sound _that_ appealing to him. He knew it was a huge honour but...fighting other cats nearly every day just for a bit of land and a few scrawny mice? He'd rather everyone just got along. Still, no use crying over spilled milk. He pretended to not be paying attention before suddenly leaping at his sister and knocking her off her feet.

"Oi, get off!" She cried, laughing as he pinned her firmly to the ground, "You're stronger than you look!"

"Aren't you going to fight back?" He teased, unsheathing his claws. Ravenkit froze when she saw that, suddenly looking worried.

"You know what Silverwind said. No playing with your claws out, you might hurt someone." Crowkit just laughed.

"It's not like I have no control over them! I'll be careful." Still, he sheathed his claws and got off his sister, beginning to wash himself. Ravenkit gave herself a quick lick before leaping towards him, determined to get revenge. He ducked but she managed to cling to his back with her paws and hung on desperately as he shook himself, furiously trying to get rid of her.

Suddenly a large ginger paw came out of nowhere and Ravenkit was belted off her brother with a hefty whack. She landed on her back and looked up in confusion to see Clawtail sitting next to the kits, a frown on his face. He turned to Crowkit with a disapproving look

"You should have been able to avoid that attack, complex as it was," He sniffed dryly, "Claws sheathed, no? Easy to shake off then," He stared at the small kitten before speaking, "Bravestar would like to see you in the clearing. He has some news for you both," He turned without another word, leaving the two kits to think. Suddenly he turned, "Well? Come on!" Startled, the kits quickly got to their feet and followed Clawtail to the large clearing, right in front of Cliff Stones. Bravestar was sitting in the middle, his tail curled around his paws. Clawtail nodded and Bravestar leaped up onto Cliff Stones to address his clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Cliff Stones for a Clan Meeting!" Once the cats had gathered beneath Cliff Stones, Clawtail pushed the two apprentices forward and Bravestar continued, "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They would like to become a warrior of FireClan, but first they must become apprentices," He turned to Crowkit, "From this day forth you will be known as Crowpaw. And, from this day forth you will be known as Ravenpaw," Ravenpaw nodded excitedly, trembling with happiness. Bravestar turned to face his deputy, "Clawtail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your strength and cunning have proven helpful to our Clan. You will begin Crowpaw's training. I trained you well, and I hope what I taught you will pass through you onto your new apprentice." Clawtail nodded solemnly and stepped forward, towering over Crowpaw. He inspected him for a moment or two before slowly bending down and gently touching noses with him.

"You have a lot to learn," Grumbled Clawtail quietly, "But I believe you can be taught." Guessing this was a compliment, Crowpaw let out a sigh of relief. Bravestar glanced around the Clan for a moment, a look of thoughtfulness on his face.

"Skystream," A pretty white and grey striped tabby stepped forward, her blue eyes shimmering, "You are ready to take on an apprentice. Your stealth and wisdom have proven helpful to our Clan. You will begin Ravenpaw's training. Raggedtail trained you well and I hope what he taught you will pass through you onto your new apprentice." The she-cat nodded before daintily dipping her head and touching noses with Ravenpaw.

"I'm sure you'll make a fine warrior." She whispered, her silvery voice quiet. Bravestar nodded to signal that the meeting was over, and suddenly the apprentices were bombarded with cats eager to congratulate them. Honeystripe and Silverwind were two of the first, licking the kits delightedly as they showered them with praise. Skystream stayed politely by Ravenpaw's side but Clawtail stalked off, his tail high in the air. Confused and feeling slightly nervous, Crowpaw followed him.

Clawtail moved faster than Crowpaw anticipated, but he managed to catch up to him on the edges of the forest that bordered their Clan. Clawtail was sitting next to Bravestar, talking to him in hushed tones.

"Leader, I know you believe these kits are destined for great things," He began, his tail swishing agitatedly, "But I can't see how they can help our clan. They both seem so unskilled-at least the female has bottle," He snorted in disgust, "The male couldn't even shake her off his back when her claws were sheathed!" Bravestar gazed calmly at Clawtail, his eyes giving away no emotion.

"I understand what you mean. But remember, they are just kits. Perhaps their true spirit has not been unleashed yet," Crowpaw frowned, feeling very confused indeed. What was Bravestar on about? "That is why I have chosen you and Skystream for their mentors. You are both very skilled and can teach them much. Whether the prophecy applies to them or not, they still need mentoring properly. Only StarClan knows how their destinies will turn out." Suddenly Crowpaw felt his paw slip and a loud crunching of leaves was heard. Bravestar and Clawtail instantly turned round, ears alert. Slowly and carefully Crowpaw edged back, his fur bristling nervously. As soon as he was about two fox-lengths away, he turned and ran, speeding as fast as he could back to camp.

His sister greeted him with a friendly rub when he returned.

"Where have you been? You're out of breath." He shrugged his head, feeling too jittery to speak. Suddenly Bravestar leaped out of the bush, followed by Clawtail. The leader glanced around cautiously, but as far as he could tell, nothing had changed. Shrugging it off with a flick of his tail, he leaped down the pit towards his den. Crowpaw let out a sigh of relief, but unfortunately Clawtail had not given up so easily. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he padded towards Crowpaw.

"Where have you been?" He frowned, bending down to sniff the small apprentice. Crowpaw shivered at his touch, before swallowing and speaking out.

"I was just here with Ravenpaw," He coughed, trying to sound more warrior-like, "We were talking about how we thought training was going to be like. Isn't that right?" Ravenpaw frowned at her brother for a split second, but Crowpaw flicked his ear, desperately hoping she'd play along.

"Er, yeah!" She spoke up brightly, "I'm sure I'm going to be a better hunter than you. You're hopeless!" She demonstrated her 'skills' by leaping forward enthusiastically and miming ripping a mouse to shreds. Clawtail stared at them both for a moment, a disbelieving look on his face. Crowpaw's heart thudded in his chest, waiting anxiously to see his reaction.

After what seemed like forever, Clawtail nodded and silently slipped away. Crowpaw let out a sigh of relief, finding it hard to believe Clawtail had believed him so easily. He turned to go when suddenly he heard Ravenpaw speak behind him

"So are you going to tell me what that was all about? Why are you lying to your mentor already?" Crowpaw paused, before glancing around. He could see Raggedtail fairly near by, chatting with Skystream. Honeystripe and Silverwind were talking at the entrance of the nursery while Silverwind's two kits played excitedly beside them. Crowpaw's ears lowered as he leaned in close to Ravenpaw.

"Not now. There's too many cats," Ravenpaw's eyebrows raised, clearly intrigued, "I'll tell you later in the den, okay?" Ravenpaw nodded, her mouth positioned in a curious smirk. Ignoring her, Crowpaw stalked off, his mind pondering over what he had just heard. What did Clawtail mean?

**Note:** Next chapter will also be in a couple of days. I am currently writing 5 chapters ahead of uploading, so if I keep up the pace you won't have to wait long for the next segment. Hope you enjoy


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three **

"Try harder!" Clawtail's voice barked around the clearing, ringing through Crowpaw's ears and scaring off the field mouse he had been stalking. Flattening his ears in irritation, he fought the urge to scream at his mentor as he saw him appear through the long grass. He had been training just over three quarter moons, and already Clawtail was driving him insane.

"I would have caught it that time." He muttered irritably. Every time he had been close to catch today, Clawtail had somehow managed to ruin it for him. At this rate the Clan would have no fresh kill.

"Don't kid yourself," He snorted viciously, "Your positioning was all wrong. Try it like this," Clawtail suddenly dropped to his haunches and began to stalk stealthily through the grass. Crowpaw rolled his eyes, seeing the mirror image of his earlier pose. As he lost sight of Clawtail, he heard a pounce. Clawtail reappeared, a mouse clutched boastfully between his teeth. He dropped at Crowpaw's feet, "Now you try."

Filled with a new determination to prove himself, Crowpaw sniffed the air and pricked his ears. He could sense a field mouse to his left-small, easy prey. He went to crouch, but suddenly smelt a new scent. He couldn't name the exact creature, but he could tell it was a bird of some kind. Pondering for a moment, he quickly and quietly turned. He could almost see the creature now, a mass of black feathers standing just two tail-lengths away. He paused low, ready to pounce...

"What are you doing?" Clawtail's indignant voice rang out, causing the bird to take off. Gritting his teeth, Crowpaw pounced anyway and to his surprise crashed into the bird, knocking it out of the air. It cawed in panic, but he managed to pin it with his paws while he sunk his teeth into it's neck. Satisfied, he proudly scooped up the bird and carried it triumphantly to where Clawtail was sitting. Clawtail's eyes widened with interested surprise as he dropped it carefully at his feet.

"Nice catch." He muttered thoughtfully, his eyes boring into the bird.

"What is it?" Asked Crowpaw curiously, licking his paw.

"It's a Blackbird. A small one, but a blackbird none the less," He glanced at Crowpaw, "Impressive for an apprentice of only 6 moons," Crowpaw shrugged, secretly thrilled with this news, "Come on," Clawtail said suddenly, "We need to get back to camp-I should be on patrol now." Clawtail rose to his feet and began stalking off towards the camp, seeming oddly grumpy all of a sudden. Feeling very confused and a little annoyed, Crowpaw raced to catch up with him, carrying his blackbird firmly in his mouth.

When they reached camp, Ravenpaw was lying stretched out on a rock, sunning herself. She greeted him with a friendly mew.

"Wow, did you catch that?" Crowpaw nodded, feeling chuffed that at least his sister respected his catch, "Clawtail must have been impressed."

"Not really," He added the bird to the fresh kill pile before taking a seat beside his twin, "He acted impressed at first but..." He trailed off, shrugging as if it were no big deal. Frowning curiously, Ravenpaw continued.

"Skystream's taking me to the edge of Sunny Field for some fight training after Sunhigh," She beamed proudly, "She says I have the skill of a full warrior but I need to be faster on my feet." Crowpaw let his mind switch off as his sister continued to ramble. She was always going on about what Skystream had taught her or told her. He barely ever mentioned his sessions with Clawtail-was this because he hadn't learned anything? But he had learned stuff...Maybe it was because-

Crowpaw jumped as a rustling came from the nearby bushes. Clawtail emerged and Crowpaw blinked in surprise. It almost looked as if Clawtail was smirking, having enjoyed scaring his apprentice.

"I have some good news for you both," Crowpaw let his annoyance slip away, curiosity taking over, "Bravestar was impressed with your catch and both Skystream and I have been monitoring your progress carefully. Bravestar has agreed to let you attend the Gathering tonight." Ravenpaw gave a delighted purr and grinned excitedly.

"Really? Thank you!" She bounced to her feet before suddenly regaining her posture and trying to look more mature, "I mean, thank you Clawtail." She nodded respectfully and Clawtail dipped his head in return, an amused purr playing on his lips. Crowpaw grinned as soon as he turned his back, prodding his sister playfully with his paw. She pulled a tongue back before pouncing on him, swiping him across the cheek with sheathed claws. He retaliated by flipping on to his back and kicking her gently in the gut. She leaped back in surprise before striking his belly fur firmly.

"I win," She boasted, "If I had my claws out that move would have slayed you."

"You should know better than to expose your belly fur," Rang a silvery voice. Skystream strolled up, her tone scolding but friendly, "Hasn't Clawtail taught you anything?"

"Forgot." Mumbled Crowpaw getting to his feet, suddenly bashful.

"Well, forget in a battle and you're toast," She spoke, her voice suddenly serious, "I've come to tell you two to go and rest your eyes. We leave for the Gathering at nightfall and you're on the night patrol afterwards. She turned with a swish of her tail and Ravenpaw turned to face her brother curiously.

"You've gone all red," She paused for a moment before her face suddenly lit up, "I've got it! You like Skystream don't you?"

"No!" He blushed brighter, his fur bristling, "Don't be mouse-brained!" Ravenpaw burst into a fit of laughter, delighted at having something new to tease her brother about.

"You like Skystream, you like Skystream!"

"Do not." He mumbled before pushing moodily into the apprentice den. Ravenpaw waited for a moment. _3...2...1... _

"Do too!" She cried cheerfully, pouncing in after him.

* * *

"Come on, hurry up!" Crowpaw awoke to the sound of his mentor's voice, harsh and grumpy, yelling at him to get up. He yawned, stretching each leg in turn before finally slinking out of the den.

Outside, a group of cats had already gathered, preparing to go. His sister was among them, bouncing silently from paw to paw next to Skystream. Honeystripe was beside her, rubbing against her proudly. Among the group were several other warriors including Raggedtail, Rushwind and Brightwhisker. Bravestar and Clawtail sat proudly at the front, facing the group. A yowl from Bravestar signaled that they were about to leave, and everyone began to walk out of the camp, side by side. He shivered from the cold for a moment, his thin pelt failing him, before stepping into line beside Ravenpaw.

It wasn't a long journey to Harmony lake and Crowpaw's ear pricked up, filled with excitement as he heard the yowling of cats grow closer. He could sense Ravenpaw's fur bristling beside him, a sure sign that she too anticipated this visit. To his surprise she seemed to be controlling it quite well, staying calmly by her mentor's side. This was just a small nod to how seriously she was taking this apprentice business. Just a short moon ago she would have been racing ahead and blabbing her head off. Now she stayed silent, a smile of awe on her face.

Bravestar stopped just before they reached the lake, halting the patrol. The warriors all sat, this clearly being part of natural proceedings. Seeing that Ravenpaw was with Skystream, Crowpaw hastily went and sat beside Clawtail. The ginger cat acknowledged him with a twitch of his ear but said nothing.

"Now remember, these Gatherings are a positive thing, but be careful what you say. Don't give away any information which could be used against us," Bravestar's tone was grave, "However, don't feel like you can't be friendly. A cat with friends is a cat with allies." With these words he flicked his tail and the group proceeded.

As they emerged into the clearing, Crowpaw was shocked by the sheer number of cats. He had never seen a cat from another clan before-the closest he had been to enemy territory was the edge of the forest, and even then he had been careful not to cross borders. The air reeked of smells, new and alive-he had only ever been taught the scent of MoonClan since it had been impossible to reach anywhere else in the cold weather of Leaf-Bare.

He went to rush off before hesitating and glancing at Clawtail. The cat nodded, signaling he could go before stalking off himself to join a fellow group of cats. Feeling slightly lost, Crowpaw wandered around for a bit until he noticed a group of apprentices sitting by the edge of the water. Eager to join in, he rushed over.

Sat at the front of the group was a pretty she-cat of about 6 moons. Her tabby brown fur was quite thin and her emerald green eyes sparkled mischievously. She seemed to be telling a story of some kind, so Crowpaw stopped politely to listen.

"Suddenly it turned on me! It's eyes were glinting viciously in the light and I thought it was going to bite me! Thinking quick, I pounced forward and-" She sat up triumphantly, "I caught the snake!" There was a murmur of impressed meows from the watching crowd.

"Really?"

"How big was it?"

"Was it poisonous?"

"What happened next?" Crowpaw joined in curiously, intrigued by the she-cat's tale. She blinked, grinning delightedly at him.

"Didn't see you there tenderfoot!" She laughed good-naturedly and he blushed slightly, not sure whether or not she was teasing him, "To answer your question, nothing much. I gave it to my mentor Specklefern, she was impressed, lots of praise, extra food etc." She smiled proudly and Crowpaw caught the hint of a flowery sweet smell. He leaned in closer, trying to recognize what clan she was from...

"What are you doing?" He drew back his head, realizing she and the other cats were gazing at him curiously, confused.

"Urm," He blushed violently, backing away slightly, "I just wanted to know what clan you're from. It's my first time out and..." The cats continued to look at him and he felt a stab of anxiety in his stomach. He'd made a fool of himself already! Fortunately the female's expression changed to one of playful curiousity.

"You could've just asked! You're a strange one tenderfoot," She grinned, prodding him with her paw, "I'm from EarthClan. Hang on, let me see. You're from-" She leaned closer, sniffing him, "FireClan!"

"Got it in one," He relaxed, now that the other cats seemed to be acting friendly again, "I'm Crowpaw."

"Ivypaw," She answered him, "And this is Copperpaw." A gingery brown tom kit stepped forward and bowed his head. He noticed that the cat had a rather protective look on his face, and his tail was gently rubbing against Ivypaw's. Clearly this cat felt threatened by another male presence.

Before he had a chance to reassure the tom he was not a threat, the leaders gave the cry to alert the start of the meeting. A beautiful blue-pointed Siamese stepped forward, which Crowpaw realized must be Moonstar. Her voice was soft and her blue eyes glittered as she spoke.

"Leaf-Bare has been as harsh for us as any clan, but we have had good news lately. New-Leaf is upon us and we have several litters on their way. Two new apprentices have made and one warrior has been appointed." As Moonstar stepped back, three MoonClan cats stood up and were cheered by the other members of their clan. Bravestar stepped forward next.

"This season FireClan is thriving. We have four new apprentices and another three kits ready to begin training soon," Crowpaw recalled the kits he had been suckled with. Bravestar was right-they too would become apprentices shortly, "One queen is expecting kits and prey couldn't be more plentiful." Crowpaw felt himself pushed to his feet as the FireClan cats yowled their approval. He glanced around curiously and noticed Honeystripe was also standing. She must be the female expecting kits! She had been getting a little chubbier lately...He noticed Clawtail was beaming proudly, wearing the gaze of a devoted father. Was that why he had been spending so much time away from his duties? He never would have paired the harsh mentor with the gentle, loving Honeystripe. Still, love was a weird thing.

After Earth and SnowClan had said their bits, the cats began to drift away, back to their territories. EarthClan had not announced any new apprentices, so Ivypaw must be older than Crowpaw originally thought. Bravestar gave a meow to summon his clan together before turning and leading them back towards Sunny Fields.

"Leaving already?" Ivypaw bounded up, Copperpaw at her side. Crowpaw nodded and he was pleased to see a look of disappointment flash across her face. Copperpaw looked unusually pleased at this news, throwing a fake sympathetic look his way before strolling off with Ivypaw back to his clan. Just as they were about to leave, a large dark brown she-cat strolled up. One of her ears was torn down the middle and her tabby fur was matted.

"Bravestar!" She spoke clearly, a note of resentment evident in her words, "I want a word with you."

"What is it Leafstar?" He spoke calmly, holding her gaze.

"We have caught the scent of FireClan warriors on our land," She hissed, but kept her fur flat and her claws sheathed, "I don't want it to happen again."

"I can assure you, no warriors of ours have been anywhere near the forest." He too remained calm, but his eyes glinted threateningly.

"Is that so?" She purred, padding round him teasingly, "I'm no fool, I've hunted in these forests for longer than you've lived and I know the scent of FireClan as well as my own," She pulled away, turning back to her own clan, "I'm giving you one warning. Put one paw on our territory again and I'll have no choice but to return the favour. Sunny Fields is so full of prey this time of year..." She signaled to her Clan with a flick of her tail, and the EarthClan warriors began to pile through the bushes towards their forest. Crowpaw's heart leaped as he saw Ivypaw near the end, running beside Copperpaw. She threw him a sympathetic glance before continuing on, and Crowpaw couldn't help but grin back. Bravestar kept on gazing at the bushes long after they were gone, eyes narrowed, deep in thought.

"Come on," He said finally, "We should be returning home. Clawtail, whose on night patrol?"

"Raggedtail, Rushwind and Skystream." He answered confidently.

"Then they can start here and make their way round. Make sure you keep an extra eye on EarthClan," He turned to the rest of the Clan, his voice clear, "The rest of you, head back. I'm going to take a look around myself." Realizing that meant he had to find his own way, Crowpaw hurried over to join his sister.

"Did you make any friends?" He asked, feeling calmer now he was with familiar company.

"Yeah, I found a great group of apprentices to hang out with!" Her eyes shone brightly, the pale moonlight reflected in them, "There was this one apprentice from MoonClan called Nodepaw and he was so funny!"

"Nodepaw?" He wrinkled his nose teasingly, "What's a Node?" Ravenpaw shrugged

"I think it's something to do with the astrology charts. Every cat in MoonClan has a name relating to that," She ran her tongue around her mouth before continuing, "So what about you?"

"Yeah, I met a couple of apprentices. Ivypaw was nice but I got the feeling Copperpaw didn't like me." He shuffled his paw gently on the ground, trying to warm them up.

"What Clan were they from?"

"Both Earth."

"You better watch out!" She cried, her eyes glinted mischievously, "We might be at war with them soon."

"I doubt it. Leafstar's only testing, seeing how hard she can push and making sure we know where our territory ends. Besides, I won't get my feelings get in the way."

"Ooh, your _feelings_? Sounds serious," Before he could defend himself Ravenpaw rubbed gently against him to let him know she was teasing. They had reached the camp now and she was heading towards the apprentice's den, "Besides you're still hung up on Skystream!" She had one final burst of energy to escape his swiping paws, "Night bro!"

"Night sis." He grumbled. He'd have to get her back in the morning. Lazily he crawled into his den before flopping down on the piles of leaves he called his home. Slowly he yawned and gave in to the relieving numbness that was sleep...

**Author's Note:** Introducing some other Clan cats now. As always, I enjoy your reviews so if you liked the story just take a few seconds to let me know please? Thanks to all who have reviewed so far, I appreciate it


	5. Chapter 4

**Note: **Big thanks once again to those who reviewed. Your comments make me happy and give me inspiration, so let me know what you think please

**Chapter Four **

"Is he awake yet?" To his surprise, Crowpaw opened his eyes to find not his grumbling mentor but instead a rather nervous-looking white apprentice. Jumping to his feet, he looked closer and was relieved to see he recognized this strange cat.

"Ivorypaw!" He blinked crossly at the smaller apprentice, who he noticed was with his litter-mate Dreampaw. They were Crispfeather's kits and had been made apprentices a half-moon after himself. They were both fluffy white, and the only way to tell them apart was by the colour of their eyes.

"Sorry Crowpaw!" Apologized Dreampaw anxiously, her blue eyes blinking nervously. Both the apprentices had a deep respect for him & Ravenpaw which he'd never fully understood. Dreampaw especially was quite irritating, following him around whenever she wasn't training. They were the only four apprentices so he had to remain on good terms with them, even though they got on his nerves frequently. Still, they were good kits and hopefully would start to leave them alone once they began to mature.

"That's alright," He muttered, shaking himself awake, "What did you want?"

"We didn't mean to startle you!" Ivorypaw seemed equally scared of offending him, "It's just Clawtail told us to tell you, you have the day off. He said you should try and get some hunting in before Sunhigh and then you can do what you like," The smaller cat blinked his green eyes and Crowpaw sensed there was more, "Plus we were wondering, if maybe...Maybe you could tell us about the Gathering?" Dreampaw nodded eagerly and her fur bristled in anticipation. Crowpaw grinned, swishing his tail from side to side.

"Well I don't know about that..." He teased

"Please Crowpaw!" Dreampaw gazed up at him pleadingly, "We really want to know!"

"Okay then," He smiled as the two kits cheered, "It was so amazing! There were hundreds of cats, maybe even thousands! Everyone was talking and sharing stories," He felt himself blush slightly at the memory of Ivypaw's tale, "Then the leaders stood up to say their bit. They were all so graceful and dignified. Bravestar was by far the most regal," His eyes shone just as excitedly as the other apprentices' when he spoke of his leader, "You could tell the other leaders were intimidated by him. No one had any really important announcements, but after the Gathering had finished Leafstar came to talk to Bravestar."

"What did she want?" Asked Dreampaw, her eyes full of awe.

"She said that she had scented us on her territory and we'd better watch out unless we wanted a battle." His expression changed, clouded with a sudden seriousness. From what he'd heard, EarthClan were pretty good warriors as they had the advantage of their stealthy pelts and strong build on their claws. He knew he was getting on pretty well with his training, but even so he doubted he'd be any good in a real battle yet.

"Crowpaw?" Dreampaw was gazing at him anxiously, her tail flicking from side to side, "You okay? You want me to get Spottedfoot?" Crowpaw shook his head impatiently, clearing it of his thoughts.

"No, I'm fine," He smiled at the two apprentices, "Either of you feel like going on a hunt with me? We can't go too far from the den but we can scout around Sunny Fields for some mice if you like." Both the apprentice burst into squeals of delight and he knew he had said the right thing. Suddenly Ivorypaw dropped onto his feet and stared miserably at the floor.

"I can't. Brightwhisker said he'd take me out for my training today." His sister seemed equally upset, although Crowpaw thought he saw a look of glee in her eye just for a moment.

"Oh well," He rubbed against Ivorypaw comfortingly before sitting back down, "We can all go together some other time, okay?" Ivorypaw seemed to cheer up at this, his green eyes gleaming brightly once more. As he trotted out of the den to join his mentor, Dreampaw stared up at him nervously.

"Are we still going Crowpaw?"

"If you want to." She rubbed against him happily before turning away

"I'll just go and tell Crispfeather where I'm going! She gets so worried about me, it's like I'm a kit again!" He purred with amusement-Dreampaw seemed to forget that barely half a moon ago she _had_ been kit. Still, no reason to argue with her.

He lazily padded out of the den, enjoying the cool morning breeze. A quick scent-check told him that a group of elders were lazing on the rock, a warrior patrol was scanning the edge of the forest and Ravenpaw was busy training with Skystream near Harmony Lake. Spying the tip of Dreampaw's tail disappearing into the nursery, he followed her, wanting to check on Honeystripe and Silverwind's kits. Sure enough, Honeystripe was laying quietly in the corner, fussing nervously around the nest she was settled on.

"Shouldn't it be softer?" Her voice sounded worried, "Aren't the branches going to be too rough on their fur?"

"Don't worry," Crowpaw was shocked to hear the calm voice of Clawtail. So that's where his mentor was! "I'll fetch some pussywillow to line it with later and that will make it softer and safer." He saw him rub against her reassuringly, trying to comfort her. He pulled away in embarrassment when he saw Crowpaw and awkwardly nodded his head at him. Crowpaw just gave an amused purr in reply before suddenly he was ambushed.

"Crowpaw!" Came a joyful squeal and he felt something hit him hard in the side. Two more bundles repeated the action and he found himself knocked off his feet. Now it was his turn to be embarrassed as he caught sight of Clawtail's smirking face. He smiled when he saw the excited faces of Silverwind's kits, clearly delighted to see him.

"Hi Heatherkit, Leadkit, Umberkit," He nodded to each kit in turn, "How's life in the den treating you?" The youngest kit, a pale grey tabby she-cat with amber eyes was sitting on his stomach, purring with excitement.

"We're not going to be in the den any longer!" Heatherkit burst out in a sing-song voice.

"Bravestar said we're going to be apprentices!" Chimed in Leadkit, a darker grey tabby male with sky blue eyes.

"Will you be my mentor?" Asked Umberkit curiously, a dark brown tabby tom with bright amber eyes. Crowpaw laughed, gently shoving the kits off him before sitting up.

"I'm still an apprentice myself sorry," He purred at Umberkit, "But that's great! When's the ceremony?"

"Bravestar said he'd hold it tonight!" Heatherkit was bouncing around excitedly again, full of enthusiasm, "Do you know who are mentors might be?"

"Well," Crowpaw paused thoughtfully, "Skystream and Clawtail are training me and Ravenpaw. Rushwind doesn't have an apprentice yet and neither does Tallfeather. Brightwhisker's busy with Ivorypaw and Mudtail is training Dreampaw, but Raggedtail and all the other warriors are free. I suppose it could be any of them," He dictated diplomatically, only to have blank faces gazing at him in return, "In other words, I have no idea."

"Crowpaw?" Dreampaw trotted up, her tail high in the air, "I'm ready to go." Crowpaw nodded before nudging each kitten gently with his nose.

"I see you guys later okay? I promised I'd go hunting with Dreampaw."

"You'll be back for our ceremony though?" Umberkit asked anxiously, his tail flicking from side to side.

"Of course we will! There's no way I'm going to miss it." Crowpaw smiled proudly before squeezing out the nursery and onto the tall grass outside.

"Ready?" Crowpaw nodded and they began to track across towards the center of the field.

* * *

Crowpaw's initial thought was right-it was a good, clear day with a cool breeze which, if used correctly, would make hunting easy. He wasn't the most skillful hunter, but he had a light build and was quick on his paws, making it easier for him to sneak up on his prey. Dreampaw was plodding along beside him, her thick coat brushing against his, her voice sweet and chatty. He swivelled around one ear, only partly paying attention to what she was saying. He could smell a field mouse near by, just a few tail-lengths away. He shushed her impatiently, gently dropping into a crouch. He carefully crept close enough, then leaped, snatching the creature up in his jaws. He dropped it on the ground and began to dig, fully aware that Dreampaw was gazing at him in awe.

"That was amazing! I wish I could hunt as well as you."

"It was only a mouse." Shrugged Crowpaw, embarrassed by all the attention she was giving him. She was still looking at him wistfully when suddenly he sniffed a very familiar scent. It was strange, but he couldn't quite place it...

"What's that?" Dreampaw wrinkled up her nose and sniffed confusedly around. Crowpaw began to stalk, tracing the scent as well as he could. He could sense the creature in front of him, and he shifted on his paws, ready to jump out...

Suddenly a ginger blur leaped out of the bushes and he felt it hit his side hard. Before he could catch his breath a paw swiped across his cheek and his felt sharp claws rake his cheek. The other cat had him pinned down firmly, teeth bared and fur fluffed out. Blinded by panic, Crowpaw thought quickly and managed to kick the other cat square in the gut. The male reeled back in pain and Crowpaw quickly flipped him onto his back. The cat struggled but Crowpaw released him, realizing who it was.

"Copperpaw?" He frowned, keeping in a defensive position just in case. The male sprang to his feet and shook himself all over.

"Crowpaw!" He spat, fur still fluffed out, "That's a good trick you've learned at least."

"What are you doing here?" Crowpaw stepped forwards, tail flicking, "This is FireClan's territory!"

"Leafstar sent us here. Not that it's any of _your_ business." Copperpaw was clearly a lot more hostile now that the Gathering was over and Ivypaw was nowhere to be seen. Crowpaw remained calm, trying not to show how inexperienced he was.

"It's my business if you're on my territory. And what do you mean by 'us'?" Copperpaw gave a shrill yowl and instantly two other cats joined him, both apprentices. One was Ivypaw, her fur looking a bit agitated. The other was a small black she-cat which Crowpaw didn't recognize.

"Crowpaw!" Ivypaw looked nervous and he could tell she didn't really want to be here. The other apprentice also looked worried, but her eyes were filled with a respectful calmness and wisdom that made Crowpaw think twice about acting aggressively. Only Copperpaw remained fierce, keeping his eye firmly on Crowpaw.

"Look," Crowpaw let himself relax, trying to sound reasonable, "Get off our territory alright? You have no right to be here and I'm sure you're as reluctant to fight as I am." Copperpaw looked unconvinced, but he sheathed his claws and stood up straight.

"Fine." He muttered under his breath, before turning and strutting off. Ivypaw stepped forward and gave Crowpaw a sympathetic nudge.

"Don't worry, he's just jealous you handled it so well," Crowpaw purred, surprised she was taking his side, "Sorry we trespassed. See you at the next Gathering maybe?" Crowpaw nodded hopefully before she turned and jumped through the long grass, followed by the black apprentice. Crowpaw turned around, wanting to go back but he jumped when he saw Dreampaw was only a whisker length away from his face.

"Why didn't you chase them off?" She demanded, sounding a lot madder than she normally did.

"I did. Kinda..." He blushed, not used to being talked to this way by someone smaller than him, "I met them last night, it was worth trying to reason with them rather than just flying headlong into a battle. Besides, we were outnumbered." He shrugged it off, waltzing back to where he had buried his earlier catch. Dreampaw raced to keep up with him, still not convinced.

"I saw how she looked at you," She muttered under her breath, "You like her don't you?"

"What? No!" Crowpaw stopped digging up his mouse and stared disbelievingly at Dreampaw, "You've got to be kidding me! We're from different Clans for a start."

"Yes," Dreampaw persisted, "But that doesn't really matter anymore. StarClan even gave us a sign that they respected our choices by adding a new law to the warrior code. Inter Clan relationships are fine, as long as the kits stay with their mother's Clan, and it doesn't get in the way of loyalty." Crowpaw turned away, feeling immensely annoyed by her sudden cheek. He stalked off by himself to do some hunting for a while, leaving Dreampaw behind in the center of Sunny Field. After he had caught two more mice and a bird he returned to camp, hoping to hang around with Ravenpaw or see how Honeystripe was doing.

"Hey Ivorypaw!" He called out to the fluffy white apprentice as he entered the camp, "You seen Ravenpaw out on your training?"

"Yes, she's with Silverstream. Where's Dreampaw?" Crowpaw just shrugged in reply, before walking off towards the nursery. He was still mad at her for accusing him of having a crush on Ivypaw. As if! Although she was kinda cute...

"Hi Honeystripe!" He purred a greeting to the tawny she-cat, noticing now she was alone.

"Crowpaw," The queen nodded her head happily, pleased to be noticed by the apprentice, "How's your training going? I hope Clawtail isn't working you too hard." Crowpaw shook his head after a brief moment's hesitation. It was true, the ginger tom could be tough. But today had been a nice break, and his harshness could only be in order to get the best results.

"It's going fine. When are the kits due? It's not long now, right?" Crowpaw glanced at her slightly swollen belly with a mixture of curiousity and excitement. He wondered what her kits would be like. They were bound to be gorgeous if they were anything like their mother. Of course, there would be some Clawtail in there as well. That was a frightening thought.

"Just two moons," She glanced down at her belly with an odd expression, "I just hope the clan can cope. We're getting a little crowded."

"More warriors mean a stronger team." Crowpaw insisted, feeling a little guilty. The strange story of his and Ravenpaw's discovery had never been told to him exactly, but he knew that he hadn't been born here. Perhaps if he hadn't been found, there would be more space and food for Honeystripe's kits…

He shook the thought away impatiently, and focused his attention back on the female's words. No point dwelling on maybes now.

"That's always true. I just hope Bravestar sees it the same way." She joked lightly, though that slight crease was still apparent above her golden eyes. She bid goodbye to Crowpaw and he watched as she waddled back to the den. He was reminded of his amusing thought that she was just getting fat. He might tell her once she had stopped being all stroppy after birth.

He spent the last few hours of his afternoon peacefully. Lying in the sun for a bit, before going back to hunt-alone this time. He didn't want to hear Dreampaw's jabs. He wondered where she had got to. Maybe she had continued to hunt…that had to be it.

Crowpaw amused himself by catching three mice, before returning to camp. Ravenpaw was back now, her fur bristling with excitement as she told some story to Ivorypaw. He looked pretty interested, although Crowpaw couldn't help noting he was alone. Shouldn't Dreampaw be listening too?

"Hi guys," He interrupted Ravenpaw at the first possible opportunity, knowing there wouldn't be another for a while, "Have you seen Dreampaw?"

"I thought she was hunting with you." Ivorypaw crumpled his green eyes in confusion.

"We were hunting, but then-" He stopped himself abruptly. How could he explain what had happened without revealing there were EarthClan apprentices on their land? Normally he would just report it. But with the increased tensions, he didn't want to start a war. Besides, he didn't think Clawtail would appreciate his way of handling things. He knew that in the tom's eyes, negotiating would be seen as cowardly.

His brown eyes blinked awkwardly as the two apprentices gazed at him, expecting an answer. Fortunately he was saved by the arrival of Brightwhisker, his ginger fur catching attention from passing Warriors. The tom seemed out of breath, and Skystream trotted forward, concerned.

"What is it Brightwhisker?" The tom panted, his feet fidgeting anxiously.

"EarthClan are on our land! I ran as fast as I could, but we need to get back now!" The whole Clan pricked up their ears, attention caught, "It's Dreampaw. She's in danger!"

**Note: **Hate to leave you on a cliffhanger, but hopefully it will make you want to read on :) We've entered the more recent stuff now, so updates will probably be spaced out to around 4-5 days. Sorry, but this is to avoid several quick updates and then one huge gap. As always, let me know what you think (constructive criticism is welcome too) Thanks for reading~


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Sorry for such a long break! I kept forgetting to upload. I'm having less time to proof-read, so if you spot any big mistakes let me know please. Advice is always welcome, and thanks to those who have reviewed before. An updated clan list will be posted before the next chapter. Enjoy~

**Chapter Five**

Crowpaw's blood ran cold. Nearby, he heard Ivorypaw cry out. Clawtail came bounding out of the Deputy's den, his tail twitching cautiously.

"What's this?" Brightwhisker explained again, his words barely registering in the dark apprentice's head. Dreampaw? But then…this was his fault! He watched as Clawtail bounded out of the den, closely followed by Brightwhisker and Rushwind. Fuelled by fear, Crowpaw quickly darted out after them. He was briefly aware of his sister shouting his name, but he paid no attention.

It was nearly impossible to catch up with Rushwind and Brightwhisker, but he managed to follow their scents. His paws carried him faster than he had gone before. He couldn't bear it if something happened to the dear fluffy cat. She was just a kit, barely six moons! Who would harm her?

Finally, he caught sight of Clawtail's ginger tail. Slowing down, Crowpaw crouched among the long grass and crept forward. He could make out the strange scent of EarthClan. Time to put his scent lessons to the test. There were about 3 cats, two full grown warriors and one apprentice. But he knew that apprentice…

He listened carefully as the FireClan warriors jumped out of their hiding places. He slid forward on his belly until he could see all eight cats. His eyes scanned for the white shape of Dreampaw-there she was! He could smell her blood and fear scent mixed together. She was alive though, and while her fur was dotted with crimson, she didn't seem badly hurt.

Satisfied, he began focusing on the new EarthClan warriors. He picked up the scent of a strong female, red in colour and with a large, white tail. The other two were both male, the warrior a dark brown with a white belly. His tail was also unusual, being very thick and covered in clumpy fur. The final male was the apprentice he had scented, and now recognized. Copperpaw...

"What do you think you are doing on our land?" Clawtail snarled, his fur bristled icily in anger. The EarthClan male matched his stance, but the female seemed to remain calm.

"Hunting. What else would we be doing?" Brightwhisker hissed at this, and struck out a paw. The female yowled back, fixing her yellow stare on the tom.

"Get off our land Foxtail."

"Why should I Brightwhisker? Me and Bristletail are having such fun, and your lands are so full with prey."

"Your forests are plentiful. You have one last chance to get out of here."

"Never!"

"Then we have no choice." Clawtail was the first to spring forward, aiming himself at Bristletail. Both Brightwhisker and Rushwind aimed for the female, clearly trusting the deputy's abilities. No one aimed for Copperpaw, forgotten in the midst of greater threats. Seizing his chance, Crowpaw dashed forwards towards Dreampaw.

"Dreampaw! Are you okay? What happened?"

"Crowpaw?" She looked surprised to see him, her blue eyes wide with fright. He could see the source of her bloodstains now, a large scratch across the bridge of her nose. It looked horribly out of place against her pale fur, "Thank goodness you're back! It was Copperpaw. He brought some Warriors to our land." Crowpaw's eyes clouded with anger.

"Did he hurt you?" She jumped at his tone, surprised at the strength of it. A second passed before she nodded nervously. Fury ran through Crowpaw's veins. No way would he let this snotty male hurt Dreampaw! The female watched in panic as he flew out of the grass, heading straight for the ginger cat.

Copperpaw barely had time to spot the black apprentice before he came barrelling into his side. He let out a yowl of surprise as Crowpaw flipped on top, biting him firmly with his jaws.

"You fleabag!" He growled through a clump of ginger fur, "I should've just attacked you when I had the chance!" The copper apprentice was older than Crowpaw, and clearly more experienced. Wriggling himself free, he jumped away and let out a hiss of anger.

"Yeah? Well, this proves what a weakling you are. A real warrior would never let enemies leave his land unscathed." His yellow eyes were filled with mocking as he unsheathed his claws. Crowpaw did the same, sizing up the male. He was the smaller of the two, but he was sure he could beat him. His anger made him feel so strong, he was sure he could do anything.

Crowpaw leaped forward again, but this time Copperpaw crouched down. He swiped a sharp claw along his black belly, causing him to recoil in pain. Drat! He'd forgotten the most basic rule of all-no exposing belly fur! Determined to redeem himself, he pretended to crouch down in pain. Copperpaw jumped forward, just like he hoped he would. Quick as lightning, Crowpaw swiped at his front legs, trying to trip him up. It worked-the ginger apprentice toppled over in surprise, hitting the ground with a thump. The black kit was on him again, clawing furiously at the apprentice, determined to do as much damage as possible…

"That's enough Crowpaw." His head turned in shock as he heard the voice of his mentor. Clawtail sounded concerned, although for what reason Crowpaw couldn't possibly guess. Still, a quick glance told him the EarthClan warriors were gone. FireClan had succeeded.

Backing off the apprentice, Crowpaw began to lick his wounds. He could see all warriors were also hurt, a large scratch along Clawtail's forehead being the most prominent injury. Copperpaw got to his feet shakily, blood darkening his fur even more. Crowpaw was surprised at how bad he looked. He couldn't remember doing that much damage.

"What are you going to do?" The EarthClan apprentice asked weakly, all trace of fight gone from his yellow eyes.

"Your comrades are gone. I suggest you join them young one." Clawtail's voice was stern, filled with all the authority of a clan deputy. Copperpaw hesitated, his tail twitching. Then he took off into the long grass, running quickly but painfully on his scratched front legs.

Nodding his head, Clawtail turned to Crowpaw with a look of uncertainty.

"Why did you do that?" He asked suddenly. Crowpaw frowned. Was Clawtail mad at him?

"He was the one who hurt Dreampaw." He explained eagerly, glancing at the white apprentice. She looked terrified still, but this time her eyes were fixed solely on him.

"So…you tried to kill him in return?" Rushwind's words shocked Crowpaw. He realized all cats were looking at him in a mixture of fear and anxiety. Like he was a murderer.

"What? Kill? No, I didn't…I mean, I wasn't trying to kill him!" His golden eyes widened as he noticed none of them changed their expressions. They didn't believe him!

"Come, let's return to the clan. I'll deal with this later." Clawtail sounded weak as he turned around, dragging his back leg behind him. Brightwhisker and Rushwind turned to follow, but Dreampaw paused. She looked at him sorrowfully, disappointment and worry clouding her eyes. Then she too followed, leaving him standing in the clearing. Alone.

They thought him a murderer.

* * *

It was a slow trek back to camp. When Crowpaw finally reached it, all the warriors were being treated. Only Clawtail stayed outside of the medicine cat's den, choosing instead to talk to Honeystripe. She looked worried about his injuries, gently bumping noses with him. Her expression changed to one of confusion as he spoke, then she glanced towards Crowpaw. Oh no. Clawtail was telling her. If she, sweet, trusting Honeystripe thought him capable of murder, what hope did he have with the rest of the clan?

Suddenly Dreampaw came padding out of Spottedfoot's den, looking miserable. Her wound had been cleaned, and most of her fur was back to its pure white colour. She still didn't look happy though. Ivorypaw raced over, joined by Ravenpaw. Eager to know what they were talking about, Crowpaw padded forward.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Ravenpaw looked as worried as he had been. Ivorypaw butted noses with his sister affectionately, relieved she was okay.

"Thank goodness you're alright! I thought you were crow food."

"I nearly was," She smiled gently, glancing at the apprentices, "But Crowpaw saved me." She glanced up as she said his name, realizing he was stood there. Awkwardly, he shuffled his front paws.

"It was Brightwhisker really. If he hadn't gotten help, none of us would have found you." He didn't want to talk in front of the other two, but he tried to say sorry with his eyes. It was stupid of him to have left her alone like that! Crispfeather would kill him if she found out the truth.

There was an awkward silence. Ravenpaw glanced at her brother with a frown. Clearly she sensed the tension in the air. Dreampaw flicked her ear nervously. Eventually, Ravenpaw broke the silence.

"Well, we're glad you're okay." Her cheery tone only sounded partly false. She was a good actor, his sister, "Come on Ivorypaw. I want to show you that vole I caught earlier. It's massive!" The two left quickly, Ravenpaw throwing him a 'tell-me-later' look. Ivorypaw looked mildly confused, but his respect for Ravenpaw caused him to follow her. The apprentices were left alone.

"So…how are your injuries?" She was the first to break the silence. Crowpaw was reminded of the state of his own fur. He was covered in blood still-no doubt he didn't look particularly pleasant.

"Spottedfoot hasn't seen me yet. He looks pretty busy with the others." His dark tail squirmed uncomfortably. There was another silence, before Dreampaw focused her troubled eyes on him.

"What in StarClan happened back there?" Crowpaw flinched at her tone, feeling defensive.

"He hurt you!"

"It was just a scratch. You didn't need to be so…violent."

"Earlier, I apparently wasn't being violent enough!" He snapped, then flinched guiltily. She looked hurt. He shuffled his paws again, and let out a sigh, "I didn't realize I was being that violent. But I swear I wasn't trying to kill him. I was just…mad."

"Got that right. You were completely crazy." Her tone was softer, less accusing now. She looked reassured by his words. At least she seemed to believe him. Nearly all the tension was gone. Crowpaw felt a sudden wave of affection for the fluffy female.

"I'm sorry I stormed off."

"I'm sorry I goaded you. But…" She looked troubled again, "I don't think we should tell Bravestar we saw the apprentices on our land. It will just get you in trouble, and it won't change anything that happened." Crowpaw blinked in surprise.

"Lie to Bravestar?" He couldn't believe honest, hard-working Dreampaw would suggest such a thing! "But, how can we? He's the leader!"

"I know. But, I still think we should keep quiet. For your own good anyway. Besides, it's not really lying. This incident is bad enough. If Bravestar finds out there was another, it might start a war." Crowpaw shivered at the thought, fluffing up his merle fur. Perhaps Dreampaw was right. She may be young, but she wasn't stupid. Wondering what he should do, the male glanced at the stars…and found his answer.

"Okay." He sighed in submission. It had been a long day, and he was tired. As soon as Spottedfoot had checked out his wounds, he'd go and have a long sleep. Ravenpaw's questions could wait until morning. Padding towards the medicine den, he wondered if he had made the right choice. Glancing upwards once more, he hoped he had. Only time would tell


	7. List Update

**Note:** No real changes this time, but there will be by the next list update :)

**List of Cats:** {A New version of this will be posted every 5 chapters}

**FireClan:**

_Leader:_ Bravestar-Large fluffy male. Light brown with dark brown stripes and a tan/white stomach. Has dark green eyes.

_Deputy:_ Clawtail-Ginger tom with a white mouth and pale green eyes. Often scowls and has a strong build {Mentor to Crowpaw}

_Medicine Cat:_ Spottedfoot-A tortoiseshell calico with a large black splodge on one paw. Quite cheery

_Warriors/Queens (Marked with a *):_

Honeystripe-Pale cream female with darker 'honey' stripes. Has amber eyes and a sweet disposition. Quite skinny and considered very pretty

Raggedtail-Brown tabby tom with thin fur and hazel eyes

* Silverwind-Light grey female with dark grey stripes and large ears. Has blue eyes which are neither pale nor dark

Skystream-White and grey tabby. Very beautiful with clear blue eyes {Mentor to Ravenpaw}

Rushwind-A solid grey female with a single white paw and white tail tip. Is very quick on her feet, hence her name

Brightwhisker-Very pale ginger tom with barely visible stripes. Is skinny and light on his feet {Mentor to Ivorypaw}

* Crispfeather-A white female who is slightly fluffy and quite small

Tallwind-A large silver tom with white paws and belly. Is especially tall but a fast runner

Mudtail-A light brown tom with a dark brown tail and paws {Mentor to Dreampaw}

_Apprentices:_

Ravenpaw-Tortoiseshell female, black and brown. More outgoing than her brother (Crowpaw) feisty and fun-seeking

Crowpaw-Tortoiseshell male, black and brown. Can be grumpy at times, prefers to laze about

Dreampaw-White fluffy female with blue eyes. Idolizes Crowpaw {Crispfeather}

Ivorypaw-White fluffy male with green eyes. Admires Crowpaw and Ravenpaw {Crispfeather}

_Kits:_

Umberkit-A medium grey, quieter than her sister {Silverwind}

Heatherkit-The palest kit, a happy female. Quite bouncy and good-natured {Silverwind}

Leadkit-Quite a chubby tom. A darker grey than his siblings {Silverwind}

**EarthClan:**

_Leader:_ Leafstar-Dark brown female with matted fur and a torn ear. Quite skinny

_Deputy:_ Badgerstrike-Black and white striped male with huge paws and a fierce temper

_Medicine Cat: _Mapleleaf-Fluffy brown female with intelligent amber eyes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Specklefern-Pale brown female with strong claws. Blends easily into surroundings and has spotted dark brown fur {Mentor to Ivypaw}

Bristletail-Fluffy brown and white tom with a thick, matted tail {Mentor to Copperpaw}

Fernfoot-Sandy coloured female with white feet and stomach

Springhawk-Large, quick male. Black with white face {Mentor to Poppypaw}

Foxtail-Reddish brown female with a white-tipped tail. Very sneaky

_Apprentices:_

Ivypaw-Brown tabby female with dark green eyes and white front paws

Copperpaw-Moody dark ginger male

Poppypaw-Small black female with a calm sense about her

**SnowClan:**

_Leader:_ Frost star-Beautiful fluffy female with amber eyes

_Deputy: _Iceclaw-Dark grey male

_Medicine Cat: _Palefur-Small female with white fur and pale stripes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Mousenose-Stripey grey tom with a quite small, pink nose

_Apprentices:_

Brightpaw-Confident ginger male with a white muzzle

Ashpaw-Ginger apprentice with white nose and an injured leg

**MoonClan:**

_Leader:_ Moonstar-Gentle-looking blue pointed siamese. Mystical air

_Deputy:_ Setstripe-A ginger female with various shades of orange in her coat and dark brown eyes

_Warriors/Queens:_

Lightface-Cream coloured female with white muzzle and paws

_Apprentices:_

Nodepaw-Black male with a white-tipped tail. Is quite quiet, but very smart. Brother of Starpaw

Starpaw-Black female with an eager temper and a white marking in the rough shape of a star (very rough) Sister of Nodepaw

Mousepaw-Silver tabby tom with tiny white paws. Quite shy but tries to be fierce


	8. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** I just finished Chapter Seven, so I'm lagging behind a bit due to school. As always, reviews and constructive criticism is welcomed. I have two ways to go with this plot right now, so I might offer a choice in a few chapters (both end up the same, it's really just about viewpoint. As in, I can keep it FireClan centric, or I can switch to focus on a cat from another Clan for a few chapters. It will return to FireClan eventually though)

**Chapter Six**

When his eyes opened to the gentle calm of daybreak, Crowpaw couldn't help feeling like he'd forgotten something. Not the fight-he could remember all that in graphic detail. But, something he'd been told perhaps? Yes, that felt like it. Something that was supposed to happen yesterday…

Getting up properly, he shook the sleep from his black fur. Yawning as he stepped out the den, he was greeted by the familiar chatter of the cats already awake. Bravestar was pacing around Cliff Stones, clearly troubled by the previous days events. Suddenly he leaped onto the rocks, a determined look on his face.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Cliff Stones for a Clan Meeting!" It seemed rather early for an announcement, and several cats looked confused. Still they all came, the queens poking their heads out of the den, "Silverwind. Fetch your kits. I promised them a ceremony and I am afraid I am a little late." The female beamed with pride, and quickly ducked back into the nest. She reappeared with the three kits, all wearing looks of excitement, despite their obvious weariness.

"Step forward," Bravestar nodded, "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They would like to become warriors of FireClan, but first they must become apprentices," He turned to the first grey kit who was beaming happily, "From this day forth you will be known as Heatherpaw, Umberpaw and Leadpaw," The three kits blinked at each other, suppressing their urges to cry out happily. Bravestar glanced around at the cats before him, looking thoughtful. His gaze fell on a warrior , "Tallwind, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your speed and strength has proven helpful to our Clan. You will begin Heatherpaw's training. Your old mentor Battleclaw trained you well and I hope what he taught you will pass through you onto your new apprentice."

The silver tom padded forward and nodded his large head gracefully. Heatherpaw blinked in surprise at the size of him, then smiled nervously. Tallwind bent down and touched noses with the silver kit. Heatherpaw's fur was fluffed out, and as she sat a look of sheer determination spread across her face. She clearly took her apprenticeship very seriously.

Nodding in agreement, Bravestar continued.

"Crispfeather, you are ready to take on an apprentice. Your wisdom and determination has proven helpful to our Clan. You will begin Umberpaw's training. Your mentor Raggedtail trained you well and I hope what he taught you will pass through you onto your new apprentice." Crowpaw watched as Dreampaw's mother stood up, looking pretty surprised. Her white fur was soft, and she could almost be mistaken for a kit if it weren't for her eyes. They were Dreampaw's bright blue, but filled with all the wisdom of a cat who has lived many moons and seen many battles. Umberpaw frowned briefly, then quickly changed her expression to one of respect. She touched noses with Crispfeather, then took her place beside her sister. Only Leadpaw remained, shuffling his paws anxiously. The leader took his time before announcing the next mentor, apparently having some difficulty choosing. Finally, he spoke.

"Clawtail and myself will share the mentoring of this apprentice for now." A murmur of voices spread throughout the clan, puzzlement clear on nearly all expressions. Leadpaw pricked up his ears, thinking he had misheard. A gasp came from Umberpaw.

"That's not fair!" She whispered, quickly shushed by Crispfeather. Leadpaw turned to glance at his sister before looking back at Bravestar. The leader said no more, but bowed his head and leaped off Cliff Stones. The meeting was over.

* * *

"What was all that about?" Ravenpaw's voice rang out across the den, loud as ever. Crowpaw shook his head, having no answer. Clearly Bravestar must have a reason for his actions. True, there were many apprentices this moon. But there were still warriors without apprentices. Why weren't they granted the position of Leadpaw's mentor?

Shaking her head, Ravenpaw flopped onto her bed of moss. She grinned amusedly at her brother.

"Skystream gave me the morning off to do some hunting. If I get a chance, I might ask a warrior if they know what's going on."

"I think I've got a normal session with Clawtail today. I'll ask him at some point." Right then, the three newly-named apprentices came racing into the den.

"Wow!" Heatherpaw grinned brightly, gazing around at the den.

"Holy StarClan!" Umberpaw flopped herself down onto another bed of moss, "Are all the beds this comfortable? I call dibs on this one."

"Actually, that's Ivorypaw's." Crowpaw grinned, amused at how eager they were. Had he been that bouncy when he had been made an apprentice? Only Leadpaw looked slightly less enthusiastic-he was still smiling, but said nothing as he padded into the den.

"Oh," Umberpaw looked slightly disappointed as she got off the moss, "Where do we sleep then?" Crowpaw shrugged his black shoulders.

"Just find a space I guess." The three kits danced around until they all finally had a place. Once they were settled, Ravenpaw got up and stretched out each of her legs in turn.

"So, you looking forward to training?" Her amber eyes glittered brightly.

"Yeah!"

"Absolutely!" The two sisters butted noses happily, joined in excitement. Leadpaw remained silent, biting his bottom lip.

"Why didn't Bravestar give me a proper mentor?" His words quietened his sisters. They glanced at him, their happiness dissolving. Crowpaw quickly jumped in.

"Well, he did! You got the two best mentors around. What could be better than being trained by the deputy and the leader?"

"I suppose…" Leadpaw still sounded worried. Before Crowpaw had a chance to continue his reassurance, a ginger head popped into the den.

"Do you intend to come to training today Crowpaw? Or would you rather just laze around while me and Leadpaw learn about scent tracking?" Instantly Crowpaw bent his head in apology. He had learnt something about dealing with Clawtail.

"Sorry Clawtail. I'm coming now." Nodding, the deputy was about to go when Leadpaw piped up.

"Excuse me sir!" His nervous tone made Crowpaw chuckle, "Does that mean I'm coming with you?"

"Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't have mentioned your name." His tone was slightly harsh, but his ear flicked in light amusement. Leadpaw's fur bristled, half-crushed by the deputy's sarcasm and half-excited at the thought of training.

"See you later guys!" Crowpaw called out cheerfully as he left the den with Leadpaw. Clawtail was waiting by the exit, deeply involved in a conversation with Honeystripe it seemed. Crowpaw rolled his eyes, making Leadpaw laugh. Clawtail looked up at this, frowning slightly. Honeystripe smiled and rubbed against Clawtail before going back into the Queen's den.

Without another word, the three set off towards Sunny Field. The weather was pleasant, the ground warmed gently underneath the apprentices' paws. Leadpaw glanced around, filled with visible anticipation. Crowpaw realized it must be the apprentice's first proper time outside FireClan camp. He gave him a playful prod with his paw.

"Pretty cool huh?" Leadpaw nodded, his light blue eyes wide. Crowpaw noted once again how young he looked. His fur was still kit-soft, and while he wasn't fat exactly, he had a young, chubby air about him.

Clawtail stopped walking once they had reached a small clearing in the long grass. He turned to face the apprentices, an expression of determination on his face. One thing you had to admire about Clawtail was his devotion to his role. He believed 100% in the clan, something which couldn't be said about every cat.

"This seems like a good spot. Leadpaw, I want to establish how much you already know. Take a sniff around and tell me what you scent." The kit nodded, and lifted his nose nervously. After hesitating for a few seconds, he blinked at the ginger tom.

"Some kind of prey? I think…it's a ground creature right? Maybe-maybe rabbit? Or mouse?" He was clearly nervous, desperate to impress. Clawtail nodded thoughtfully.

"It's a mouse. If it were a rabbit, you would hear it more clearly. Good try though," The praise confused Crowpaw. It would be usual for a mentor to praise a new apprentice. But Clawtail hadn't praised him like that. He barely praised him at all. A sharp stab of kit-like jealously hit Crowpaw. Did Clawtail simply not like him much?

"Now, what do you know about hunting?"

"Not much." Leadpaw said almost apologetically.

"Alright. Crowpaw, show him how to hunt a mouse. Leadpaw, I want you to pay close attention, especially on where Crowpaw places his feet." Nodding confidently, Crowpaw sniffed to locate the exact positioning of the mouse. Once he had done that, he dropped confidentially into the right pose. Aware that there were two pairs of expectant eyes on him, he crept forward and pounced with ease. A quick killing bite, and then the deed was done. He returned triumphantly, the mouse swinging from his jaws.

"Good. Now Leadpaw, try to copy his pose." The grey kit nodded, and crouched down uncertainly. He had the basics, but his footing wasn't right. After a few comments from Clawtail, he corrected it until it was perfect.

"Great job. Now, I want you to wander off for a bit. Try and find a mouse and hunt it for me. If you run into any other creatures, do your best but don't worry if you fail." Leadpaw nodded, then scurried off eagerly. Tilting his head, Crowpaw frowned.

"Should I hunt too?" Clawtail paused, closing his olive eyes slowly, as if in pain.

"No. I need to talk to you." His words were full of severity, tone clear and sharp. Crowpaw's fur bristled slightly. Uh oh. That didn't sound good. He sat down, wrapping his tail around himself somewhat defensively. Let's hear what Clawtail had to say.

"I don't doubt that even you are smart enough to know what I mean. What happened yesterday…was brutal. You know the warrior code well, even if you are an apprentice still. No cat kills without need." The emphasis on 'kill' made the black cat flinch.

"I wasn't trying to kill!" He insisted fiercely, "It all just got out of control. He was taunting me, and he hurt Dreampaw-"

"That might be so. But on a dispute over territory, keep your romantic troubles to yourself." What? Crowpaw felt his fur fluff up with anger.

"Dreampaw and I-we aren't a couple or anything!" He blushed, despite himself. Darn Clawtail and his interfering!, "Look, I was just trying to defend our land and honour my clan. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. But one does not honour through death. Control your temper-or some other cat will do it for you," Crowpaw lowered his head, furious. Clawtail was treating him like a kit! After a brief silence, the tom turned, "Hunt until Sunhigh, then go find your sister. Skystream is taking you both along on her patrol. I'll stay here with Leadpaw and finish his mentoring. Go." The deputy had such authority in his voice that Crowpaw knew he had to listen. Why did Clawtail deserve so much power anyway? Surely there were better cats suited to the role.

Still consumed by his angry thoughts, Crowpaw stalked off to do some hunting. It was a good way to relieve tension, and by the time he had caught 2 voles and a rabbit, he had calmed down considerably. Deciding it was time to make it back to camp, he dug up his prey and carried it back. When he finished his final load, he spotted Skystream and Ravenpaw waiting for him by the camp exit. Enjoying the prospect of spending an afternoon with the happy-go-lucky females, he bounded over.

"Ready?" Skystream purred in greeting, her blue eyes sparkling, "Mudtail is coming with us as well. We have no third warrior. Clearly Bravestar believes the four of us will be plenty enough." Ravenpaw grinned at the slight praise, but Crowpaw noticed something seemed to be worrying the she-cat.

"What's wrong?" He asked, generally concerned. The tabby was much prettier when she wasn't frowning.

"Nothing, really. I'm just worrying about EarthClan. I don't think we should go near their territory so soon after the threat."

"I'm sure it will be fine." Crowpaw meowed firmly. He had faith that FireClan had given the trespassers enough scars to make them think twice. Skystream nodded, but bit her lip nervously. Ravenpaw looked her usual, unruffled self.

"Hey bro. As soon as Mudtail gets here, we'll be setting off for Harmony lake. Then we'll backtrack round to the Forest, eventually reaching Moon Peak Mountain. Sounds like fun right?" She twitched an ear eagerly, her eyes bright with anticipation. Ravenpaw could get excited about the most mundane things, so a trot round Sunny Field was like a hundred mice to her.

"Sure." He raised his eyes slightly, but took a seat. It would be a nice break from sparring with Clawtail. He just wished Mudtail would hurry up.

* * *

Eventually the chestnut tom showed up, panting slightly. He shook his head, then smiled at the three.

"Sorry I'm late. Had a run in with an irritable rabbit." Skystream purred with amusement and Ravenpaw chuckled. After a quick clean, Mudtail was ready to go. The four set off at a reasonable speed, racing across Sunny Field. There wasn't much to do in the heart of their territory. There was a faint trace of EarthClan, but the scent had mostly been covered. Crowpaw was pleased with how easily he managed to keep up with the two warriors. Ravenpaw lagged slightly, but her determination kept her going.

After a short while, they arrived at Harmony Lake. The place was filled with the scents of the other clans, left over from the Gathering. It looked so empty compared to his previous visit, Crowpaw was amazed. On Skystream's orders they split up, each checking part of the lake. He wasn't entirely sure _what_ he was looking for. The whole place was so full of scents, it was impossible to tell which ones were new. But he pretended to know what he was looking for, and reported confidentially that nothing had been out of place.

The group moved on after that, going along the edge of the long grass to where it started to decrease. The shorter the blades got, the closer Crowpaw knew they were to EarthClan territory. As he caught sight of the trees, he knew they were on the borderline.

"Right. Now be very careful. We don't want to be scented on their territory at this time. Stay within the border." Nodding, Crowpaw continued cautiously across the ground. Ravenpaw was more conservative than her usual self too, sniffing carefully. Crowpaw pricked his ears as he scented the familiar smell of Ivypaw. He felt slightly disappointed as he realized it was from yesterday.

Wait, what was he thinking? Did he want to see her? Of course not! That would mean meeting EarthClan and risking another clash. He had to stay focused on his clan. Forget Ivypaw. Now was not the time.

Mudtail didn't seem particularly bothered about the fight yesterday. He acted cautious yes, but he wasn't filled with Skystream's worry. The tom had that kind of easy-going attitude though. Crowpaw doubted much would phase him really.

They were just about to start heading for Moon Peak Mountain when Crowpaw scented something. It was a strange smell, one he felt sure he had scented before. He had no idea what it was though. It was cat-like, and yet…different.

"What's that?" He whispered, nudging Ravenpaw. She paused and sniffed uneasily. A frown crossed her face as she smelt the same, alien smell.

"I don't know. Skystream!" She hissed, bounding over to her mentor. While she explained, Crowpaw stepped forward. The smell was coming from the forest, but he knew it was not EarthClan's scent. It didn't smell natural. Like a burning, stale tang…

"Look out!" Mudtail's warning came too late. Crowpaw watched as a lean, brown shape came charging out of the undergrowth, leaping straight towards the cats. He ducked quickly, and the cat flew neatly over his head. It landed rather bumpily a few tail-lengths away, shook itself over and glanced at the cats. It's golden eyes blinked uncertainly before it turned and bounded away, disappearing into the long grass.

"Hey wait!" To Crowpaw's alarm, Ravenpaw began to rush after this strange cat. She seemed generally concerned, and her legs moved with new speed.

"What are you doing?" Crowpaw called out after her, but it was too late. Both her, and this new cat, were gone


	9. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **Sorry if this update has gotten your hopes up. I hate just abandoning a story, so I will try and write more if I get a chance. Since I already wrote the next part, I figured I might as well upload it for those who were loyally reading and who I just left on a cliffhanger. I apologize to you, and I will try and continue this if I can

**Chapter Seven**

It had all happened so suddenly, Crowpaw wasn't sure what to do. He was still filled with shock and confusion. Why had Ravenpaw followed that cat so eagerly? Was it because she too recognized that strange scent? If so, where from? He wanted to know, before something happened to either the cat or his sister.

Crouching down to go chase after her, he hesitated for a split second. Glancing towards the warriors for guidance, he waited. What should he do?

"Go after her." Skystream looked stunned, her tail twitching. Crowpaw nodded and gave chase. It wasn't hard to follow the strange scent-it was so unique it stuck out like a sore paw among the regular clan scents. He recognized his sister's scent too of course, so it wasn't difficult to track down the cats.

Suddenly, Crowpaw froze. The path had swung round, and he could tell the scents of FireClan were getting weaker. Uneasily, he sniffed again. He was nearly on EarthClan territory now, and the trail only sunk deeper into it. He knew he still had to follow, had to see if his sister was alright. But, to venture out on EarthClan territory? If he was caught it might as well be suicide.

He proceeded, but more cautiously. Listening carefully for any sounds or signs of EarthClan, he tentatively took his first steps into the forest. It was a daunting place, massive and pitch dark compared to Sunny Field. Only a few dappled specks of light guided his path. Crowpaw felt uneasy-hundreds of cat eyes could be watching him in here, and he wouldn't even know it…

"Who are you?" Distracted from his thoughts by the voice of his sister, Crowpaw bounded forward eagerly. Breaking through a few bushes, he saw Ravenpaw standing up ahead, chatting to the strange female. The cat froze when it saw him, and looked like it was going to run again.

"Wait! This is just my brother, Crowpaw." The she-cat relaxed slightly, her golden eyes blinking. She was much older than he had originally thought-either an elder or soon to be. She was still pretty though, her brown fur looking a light auburn in the speck of sunlight she sat under. Crowpaw relaxed too, though he still wasn't comfortable. She might not be a threat, but no doubt this cat was strange.

"There are two of you?" She tilted her head, her voice sweet but strained with age.

"What's going on?" Crowpaw addressed his sister, "Why did you follow her?" Ravenpaw grinned an irritating grin, clearly amused.

"What? You can't tell me you didn't recognize the scent too."

"Well, I suppose I did a little. I don't know where from though." Ravenpaw blinked in shock, her mouth dropping open.

"You don't?" She looked genuinely upset, as if something bothered her greatly, "Crowpaw…Don't you remember our mother?" The mottled apprentice froze, his entire body shocked by her words. Mother? What was she…What did she mean?

The strange cat meowed slightly, clearly uncomfortable.

"There's no reason why he would. You were both so young-"

"How could you forget your mother?" The scent was coming back to him now, short flashes of memory resurfacing. He was young, a mere newborn. There had been a brief moment of warmth, that smell enveloping him. Then-nothing. Sheer cold, ice biting into his fur. No warmth, no smell. Just icy, frozen nothingness…

He glanced at the pair, disbelief in his eyes. How could this cat be his mother?

As if reading his thoughts, the female shook her head quickly.

"No, no. I'm not your mother," She meowed hastily, flushing, "I _knew_ your mother. We were…friends." Crowpaw wasn't sure why, but a rush of relief flooded through him. Perhaps he was glad that he hadn't failed to identify his mother. Or perhaps it was something else. Either way, he couldn't relax completely yet. This female was still very obviously hiding something.

"That's what she says. I don't believe her." Ravenpaw whispered stubbornly, her head pointed down. He felt he should try and persuade her, but he could do that later. Right now he needed to focus on avoiding EarthClan and learning the truth from this stranger.

"Friends? So you were part of the same clan. But you don't smell of any clan. Where are you from?" A second of silence passed before the female swallowed and adopted a strange smile.

"My name is Goldfeather," She spoke gently, her eyes full of trust, "I did used to belong to the same clan as your mother, but I left some time ago. I was…forced to go. The leader, Hawkstar chased me out. I did nothing wrong, before you judge me. Hawkstar is a ruthless tyrant." Her last words were surprisingly harsh. Crowpaw wasn't sure whether or not he believed her. Cats chased out of clans were usually heartless, selfish creatures. But Goldfeather didn't seem that way. She still kept her clan name anyway, unlike some loners. But if Hawkstar was so ruthless, how did he become a leader? Traditionally, leaders were the wisest and most selfless of cats.

"I left before you were born, I had no idea you even existed. Last I heard your mother had disappeared. I'm sorry I can't be of more help."

"No problem." Ravenpaw grinned in her usual no-worries way, but Crowpaw still had one question left.

"What were you doing around Sunny Fields? I mean, if you weren't looking for us." There was something suspicious about the way she had fled. Like she was scared of something.

Sure enough, the female squirmed uncomfortably.

"I was actually going through the forest, but I got a little lost."

"But that still doesn't explain why-" Crowpaw broke off suddenly as he felt Ravenpaw nudge him sharply in the side. Turning round, he realized what had worried her. The scent of two EarthClan cats had drifted down, signalling they were close. Filled with the panic of being discovered, Crowpaw turned back to Goldfeather.

"If you don't want to get caught, run!" The she-cat nodded in alarm, and the three began to race back through the bushes. Crowpaw was filled with worry, and the confusing forest paths were hard to navigate round. Being the fastest, he was leading the group, although he wasn't sure quite where he was leading them to.

"Go left!" Hissed Ravenpaw from several tail-lengths behind. Following her advice, Crowpaw darted left-right into another cat.

"Hey!" The cat let out a yowl of surprise as Crowpaw barrelled into her, knocking her off her feet. Panting, Crowpaw leapt up and quickly crouched down into a defensive position. He hesitated slightly when he realized the female was the black apprentice he had met yesterday.

"Wait a minute!" She looked just as shocked to see him. Crowpaw sent a silent message to Ravenpaw, praying she'd have enough sense not to follow him. It seemed to work-the clearing remained empty except for the two of them.

"What are you doing here?" She asked uncertainly, her dark eyes cautious, "Did FireClan send you as revenge?"

"No, I-I came alone," No sense in getting his clan into trouble. Let her think he was working alone, "They'd hardly send a mere apprentice would they? I just wandered into here by mistake." The female looked sceptical. At least she hadn't attacked him yet. She seemed to have quite a logical mind anyway. Her build wasn't strong, and she probably wouldn't attack without reason. He might have a chance.

"Mistake? I find that hard to believe. Unless FireClan is accepting morons as apprentices now." Crowpaw fought the urge to defend his clan and lowered his head instead, trying to look apologetic. It seemed to work, for she let out a sigh after a few minutes.

"I shouldn't do this. But I guess I can show you the way out. Providing you don't return," She glanced at him cautiously, "Crowpaw right? Ivypaw kept on talking about you." His heart leapt at that statement. So Ivypaw hadn't just considered him a mouse-brained fool. He wanted to know exactly what she had been saying, but he thought it would be best to stay on topic.

"That's right. What's your name?" He wasn't particularly bothered, but it would do him well to be polite. He wanted to stay on her good side.

"Poppypaw," She revealed, clearly reluctant about it, "This way." Without another word, she turned lightly on her paws and began to walk. Her tiny frame was dark, and he had to follow quickly to avoid losing sight of her. Throwing a quick glance backwards, he spotted the glowing eyes of his sister. Smiling, he beckoned her to follow. As long as she kept out of sight, things would be okay.

The rest of the journey was in silence, Poppypaw jumping every time she heard a bush rustle. Sitting by the edge of the border, she nodded.

"You can go now." It was an order rather than a suggestion. She kept her cool, calm attitude and Crowpaw found himself compelled to obey her. He wasn't sure why, but she seemed to have a way of making others do what she wanted them to. He found himself thinking she might make a good leader one day. A sneaky one perhaps, but good.

"Thanks." Dipping his head respectfully, he crossed back over to FireClan territory. The ground felt so good beneath his paws, he kneaded it a couple of times. It was good to be home. Poppypaw nodded back before turning round, disappearing into the dark of the forest. He waited until he was sure she was long gone, then glanced around. He saw no sign of any cat, FireClan or otherwise. Wherever his sister was, she wasn't here.

Sitting nervously for a few minutes, he decided she might have gone back to camp. After all, it was the logical conclusion. It was what he should do at least. A sick, uneasy feeling residing in his stomach, he set back off on a trek home.

It was near nightfall when he arrived home. No cat paid much attention to his return, and Crowpaw noticed neither Skystream nor Mudtail were back either. Anxious to find out what was going on, he spotted the newly-named Heatherpaw pouncing around the den.

"Heatherpaw, have you see…what are you doing?" He frowned, momentarily distracted. The grey kit jumped, then crossed her front paws bashfully. She looked very young all of a sudden, her fur fluffed up in embarrassment.

"Practicing pouncing. Tallwind said I should." At her mentor's name, her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and respect. All the apprentices seemed to admire their mentors so much. Why didn't Crowpaw feel the same? Mostly all Clawtail's name did for him was make him annoyed.

"Okay…Anyway, have you seen Ravenpaw?" Heatherpaw shook her head, looking slightly confused by his question.

"No. Why?"

"I just haven't seen her." Crowpaw didn't want to worry the kit, but he was reminded strongly of the events of yesterday. Surely another Clan member could not be attacked so soon? The thought made the dark apprentice want to throw up. Ravenpaw would be okay. She had to be okay. But in case it happened to be otherwise, he felt he should seek out help. Though unwilling to admit it, he knew Clawtail would be his best bet. His mentor was strong, fairly quick and would be able to help Ravenpaw.

Crossing over the Clan camp to where Clawtail slept, he peeked his head cautiously through the long grass that covered the entrance. To his surprise, the ginger tom was in there, stretched out on a large, grassy nest.

"Crowpaw?" Clawtail looked absolutely shocked to see his apprentice here. It was understandable. Crowpaw had never dared to visit his den before.

"Clawtail." He remembered to duck his head with respect before continuing. Quickly, he described the events of that afternoon, sketching over the part where he met Poppypaw. Best let the deputy think he had gotten out on his own. When he had finished, he waited eagerly for a response.

"That…is difficult." Clawtail closed his eyes, looking as though he was in a great deal of pain. Crowpaw frowned, his tail twitching. What was going on?

"What do you mean? We just have to get her back right?" The deputy shook his head.

"I'm sorry. But you have already ventured onto EarthClan territory today. With the events of yesterday, we cannot risk crossing borders. Many cats live in the forest, and they outnumber even our Clan. If war breaks out, FireClan will surely lose," He couldn't understand it. How could the deputy of the clan have so little faith in it?, "Ravenpaw is strong and has a good head on her shoulders. I am sure she will be fine, even without our warrior's help." Crowpaw blinked in disbelief.

"So, what? You're just going to abandon Ravenpaw?" This was impossible. Crowpaw couldn't believe his own ears.

"The word 'abandon' is too strong. She has an adult cat with her, and last you claimed she was not spotted. She has high chance of escape. It's too great a risk!" Clawtail disliked being talked to by his apprentice in such a harsh tone. In his eyes, the Clan always came first. Why wouldn't he understand that?

Crowpaw shook his head with a curt laugh.

"Brilliant. So my sister is left to die? I always knew you'd do the right thing." Crowpaw turned and left the den, an bitter taste in his mouth. There was no way Skystream would share Clawtail's views. After all, Ravenpaw was her apprentice. Her and Mudtail would be looking for her now. They had probably found her already.

Sitting himself down beside the Clan entrance, Crowpaw began to wait. It wasn't until moon high that the two warriors returned. Both had sad looks on their faces, their fur worn down with bits of grass and mud. Ravenpaw wasn't with them. Ravenpaw was never with them. A half moon later they gave up looking. Crowpaw never gave up.

Three moons later and his sister was still gone


End file.
